Lime Pudding Cake

I found this recipe in the newspaper a couple of weeks back. It was a hit!

Serves: 6

Level: intermediate

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs, separated 1 cup sugar, divided use 1/3 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes) 1 tablespoon freshly grated lime peel (about 3-4 limes) 1/4 cup flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup room-temperature fat-free skim milk (I used leftover whey from some cheese I just made) Powdered sugar, to taste (optional) Heavy whipping cream, whipped, to taste (optional) Grated lime peel, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites in small bowl at high speed until foamy. Continue beating, gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar, until glossy and stiff peaks form (2 to 3 minutes). Set aside. Combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until creamy. Add egg yolks, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon lime peel; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and salt; continue beating until well mixed. Stir in milk by hand. If the milk is too cold, the butter will harden up and be difficult to combine. Don't worry if the batter is not very smooth. Gently stir in beaten egg whites. Place casserole into 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Pour mixture into ungreased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Or an 8x8 glass pan would work. Place baking pan on oven rack; pour boiling water into baking pan to 1/2-inch depth. Bake for 42 to 52 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from water; cool at least 30 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Garnish with whipped cream and grated lime peel, if desired.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/food/recipe_database/article/Recipe-Database-Recipe-Details-822183.php#ixzz1WXgm3Obe

Crisp, Brick-Fried Chicken

The hardest part of this is just making sure the chicken is done cooking. You ideally season it an hour before cooking, so give yourself some time. It's about 10 minutes of work and 25 minutes of unattended cooking time. Serves 3-4

1 whole chicken or about 3 lb chicken pieces

1 Tbs coarse salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 large sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme (but you can use dried to taste)

1 Tbs olive oil

1/4 C dry white wine or balsamic vinegar (opt)

pinch of sugar (opt)

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. If you have already cut the chicken into pieces, skip to step 3. Place chicken, breast-side-down, on a work surface. With kitchen shears, cut through the bones along both sides of the backbone and remove it. Trim off any excess neck skin.

2. Spread the bird open, skin-side-up, on the counter and press down firmly against the breast bone with the palms of your hands to break and flatten it. Tuck the wings back and under themselves so they lie flat against the breast. Or, cut off the wing tips and discard.

3. Season the bird at least an hour (unrefrigerated) or up to 24 hours (refrigerated, but brought to room temperature with 1 hour to go) before cooking. Sprinkle the bird on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Press herbs against both sides.

4. Heat a large, nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. blot the bird dry with paper towels and place, skin-side-up, in the pan. Place a skillet, about 2 inches smaller in diameter, directly on top of the chicken. If you don't have a heavy enough pan -- 3 to 4 pounds -- add heavy objects to weigh the pan down. A couple of cans work nicely. Cook the chicken until the underside is brown, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the weight and turn the chicken over with a pair of tongs. Replace the weight. Continue cooking until the skin is crisp and brown, 12-20 minutes longer. To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the inside of the thigh; it should read 170 degrees. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.

5. If desired, make a simple pan sauce: Pour off all but about 1 tsp of the fat in the pan. Set the pan over med-low heat and add the wine/vinegar, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve the caramelized juices. Cook until the wine is mellow and has no trace of alcohol taste, about 1 minute. Remove the herbs (if whole) and adjust seasoning as desired.

6. With a chef's knife, cut the chicken into pieces. Arrange on plates. Spoon pan sauce over. Serve immediately.

Golden Sweet Cornbread

Fall!!  Fall is around the corner (hopefully!) -- so planning out my soups!  This cornbread is a great addition to any soup! 

Ingredients

1 c flour

1 c yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 c vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch round cake pan (or a 9x9 square pan works fine as well!).  In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Stir in egg, milk & oil until well combined.  Pour batter in pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Yes, I borrowed it from this site (Our Best Bites), no, it's not an original recipe, but it's so darn good! (P.S. I stole the photo, too.)

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup salsa verde
Juice of ½ a lime
1 teaspoon chile powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
½ cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
8-12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Fold in the chicken and cheeses. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Working 3 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Cook 30 seconds, or until tortillas are soft and pliable. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

*To freeze, prepare the taquitos, but before baking, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the taquitos are completely cold. Wrap each taquito in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and freeze. To bake, unwrap the taquitos and cook in a 425 degree F oven for 20 minutes (no need to thaw first).